Past Issues
The Correlation of Quality of Life and Leisure
with Elderly Depression in a Taiwanese
Suburban Community
Ming-Kun Lu, M.D., M.S.1,2, Frank Huang-Chih Chou, M.D., M.S., Ph.D.3,4, Wen-Wei Ho, M.D.3, Chao-Yueh Su, Med.5, Ren-Yi Liu, M.D.3
Objective: The purpose of this community-based study was to examine the
prevalence and related risk factors of elderly depression in a suburban area in
Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Methods: With the Disaster-related Psychological Screening
Test (DRPST) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire, we interviewed 871
aged elderly in a community. Six hundred and nine (69.9%) elderly residents completed
the interview. Results: We identifi ed 89 (adjusted prevalence was 14.29%)
elderly as having probable major depression. The risk factors of having probable
depression in the elderly were illiteracy (aOR = 2.1, 95% CI:1.0-4.2), a poor Physical
Components Summary (aOR = 3.2, 95% CI:1.7-6.3), a poor Mental Components
Summary (aOR =2.5, 95% CI :1.4-4.5), and a lack of leisure companions
(aOR =2.2, 95% CI: 1.3-3.9). Conclusion: The prevalence of elderly depression
reported in this study was slightly lower than that of recent studies in Taiwan. Poor
quality of life and lack of leisure companion are predictors of elderly depression.
Intervention programs should put resources into promoting quality of life and leisure-
time arrangement for the elderly population.
prevalence and related risk factors of elderly depression in a suburban area in
Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Methods: With the Disaster-related Psychological Screening
Test (DRPST) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire, we interviewed 871
aged elderly in a community. Six hundred and nine (69.9%) elderly residents completed
the interview. Results: We identifi ed 89 (adjusted prevalence was 14.29%)
elderly as having probable major depression. The risk factors of having probable
depression in the elderly were illiteracy (aOR = 2.1, 95% CI:1.0-4.2), a poor Physical
Components Summary (aOR = 3.2, 95% CI:1.7-6.3), a poor Mental Components
Summary (aOR =2.5, 95% CI :1.4-4.5), and a lack of leisure companions
(aOR =2.2, 95% CI: 1.3-3.9). Conclusion: The prevalence of elderly depression
reported in this study was slightly lower than that of recent studies in Taiwan. Poor
quality of life and lack of leisure companion are predictors of elderly depression.
Intervention programs should put resources into promoting quality of life and leisure-
time arrangement for the elderly population.
| Key Word | elderly depression, Disaster-related Psychological Screening Test (DRPST), quality of life, leisure |
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